henna

On Tuesday I saw a girl with a twisted Mohawk and felt inspired to try it on my hair.  I washed and twisted my hair today, and was quite pleased with the outcome for a first attempt. 

Hey there lovely peoples,

Last week I henna'd (made up word) my hair.  This was the third time that I have applied henna to my hair, and I quite like the results.  Henna adds a touch of a reddish/brownish color to your hair; it also is said to have great conditioning properties, helps strengthens hair, may loosen curl pattern, and add shine.  From my understanding the benefits of henna (minus the hair color) take a little while to see.  I henna approximately once/month so I suppose I will continue for about six months (about the end of the year) and see if I can tell a difference.  Short term I love the touch of color it adds.  The color is quite subtle and is only really evident in the sunlight.  And best of all is that henna comes from a plant and is therefore natural.  I mean, how can you beat a natural hair coloring system ?!?!?

Okay, so by now you're probably thinking this henna thing can't be that simple, add the henna and get awesome hair.  Well, the henna process takes a little bit of work, but like everything else, once you get used to it easy peasy lemon squeazy. 

So, the process.....

1. buy good henna-I think I got mine off of Amazon, I use Jamil henna
2. empty a packet of henna (I use 100g) into a bowl, something you don't mind dedicating solely to henna/hair processes
3. add 1c of conditioner and mix-I like to use HE Totally Twisted
4. add water-I don't ever measure this, I just mix and continue adding until the henna is a consistency that I like-for water I use tea.  On curly nikki's website she suggests using green tea so I figured I'd use tea, but I don't know if this really matters.  The consistency of the henna should be sort of like a paste, something that you can pick up with your hand, but not so thick that you can't spread it on your head.
5. cover with plastic and let sit for about 15-20mins
6. add oil prior to use-I use olive oil because it's usually the cheapest oil I have just sitting around
7. next is applying the henna to your hair-I have done this on wet and dry hair and I prefer wet (although this is a tad bit messier) because I feel like my hair took to it better so
1. I first co-washed my hair
2. I applied henna to my hair starting in the back (be certain to wear gloves)
3. apply henna to entire head section by section
4. cover with a plastic cap
5. cover with a stocking cap
6. cover with a scarf (I like to be certain the henna goes no where, I suggest that you use a specific scarf for this in case the henna gets on there)
7. leave on over night
8. rinse hair thoroughly with warm water-be patient, the henna hardens overnight and it takes some time to get it all out of the hair
9. co-wash
10. deep condition
11. style and go

Okay, so it sounds like a lot; I think it sounds like a lot because it is.  However, like I said before once you do it, it's no big deal.  Some things to keep in mind.  Do wear gloves when dealing with the henna or your hands will be orange for a few days.  Do cover your floor and other surfaces with towels or newspapers.  The henna can stain surfaces if it is allowed to dry, but no worries if you clean up well once you finish your henna process. 

This is a link to Mop Top Maven's henna video so that you can see what the process looks like. 

So, I encourage everyone (natural, relaxed or transitioning) to go forth and henna.  If you have tried henna or are thinking about it leave a comment and let me know your experiences with henna and/or questions. 

Tootles,

Love, peace and happiness